Granite Worktop Advice, Guidance & Help

Main menu

Post navigation

Granite Worktop Care

TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR GRANITE WORKTOPS IN PRISTINE CONDITIONGranite worktops are a brilliant investment for any kitchen, but to keep them in pristine condition home-owners do need to take special care and carry out occasional maintenance. Granite is extremely hard and quite easy to keep clean but it should not be thought of as ‘indestructible’ – it can be chipped and scratched. It is also porous material and therefore subject to staining. With the above in mind, here are some helpful tips to ensure you keep your granite worktops looking as good as new:

GENERAL USAGELet’s start with the basics of caring for your granite worktop during general usage; to keep your granite in pristine condition, do not carry out any cutting or chopping directly on your worktops.

Be cautious when carrying out DIY or chores around the edges of your worktops. If knocked or hit too hard they may become chipped.

Extra care should also be taken to avoid putting hot items on to the granite. Damage can be caused when subjected to the high temperatures of cooking pans, etc. so always use trivets or safety mats.

Finally, do not stand or kneel on your granite worktops. Certain areas, particularly around the cut-outs, are weaker and could break. Also foreign objects in your shoes could scratch your worktops.

CLEANINGFor a basic clean we recommend Lithofin Easy-Clean (http://goo.gl/yRmJym) which is great for daily cleaning. For a deeper clean for stubborn stains use Lithofin Power-Clean (http://goo.gl/1X5XJA). Always read the instructions for either of these products prior to use.

Whilst there are other products out there which may be suitable, we do not recommend any other cleaners other than those stated above. Use of any other products may invalidate your warranty if such products contain potentially damaging ingredients. These can include abrasives such as bleach (like cilit-bang), acids (even mild) or alkalis (including oils) – note this is not an exhaustive list!

Don’t be tempted to use scouring pads either; if you cannot shift a tough stain, please seek expert advice before cleaning so as to avoid permanent damage.

AVOIDING SPILLAGESTo avoid damage to your worktops you must ensure that any spillages are cleaned up immediately. Spillages such as orange juice, blackcurrent, soda.pop, cordials, coffee, cola, wine, butter, etc left for even a few minutes may cause staining (etching) on the worktop surfaces. Also remember that spillages can include liquids etc on the bottom of a glass or cup e.g. a wine glass by itself would not cause an etching however if the bottom of the wine glass has wine on it then that could.

Both acidic and alkaline substances can cause permanent damage and should be completely avoided on the surface of your granite.

SEALINGTo prevent staining on your granite worktop we highly recommend use of a sealant. Granite worktops should always be sealed at time of installation by Granite Zone.

We recommend re-sealing your worktops about once a year however more frequently used worktops should be sealed more regularly.

REPAIRSEtched / stained worktops can can often be repaired depending on the severity of the etch. In many cases it can be professional repaired and even repaired by yourself. Whilst we do not endorse self-repair it is obviously much more cost effective since professional repairs can be expensive.

The following articles may be helpful when looking at worktop repairs – we can source polishing powders, colour enhancers and many other products to aid repairs:

NOTE: The above links are for information purposes only. Granite Zone accepts no responsibility for any damage caused by attempts to restore worktops using the above methods. If in any doubt, consult an expert first.

In conclusion, granite is a hard-wearing, beautiful and elegant kitchen choice. Provided you follow a few very simple guidelines it will last you a lifetime.